My exciting ride to work

Normally my rides to work are uneventful with nothing that interesting happening....
But this morning was a bit different. Most of my journey is done on cycle paths but there is a couple of quiet estate roads which I bike on and this morning I was happily doing 20+mph on one of these when, there was a car parked on the other side of the road, so a blue van had to slow down a little to wait for room to over take; this must have upset him for some reason he beeped me. So as I has in a tiered grumpy mood I waved my hand in a what’s your problem jester, which must of upset him more as when he had room to over take me he decided to swerve right in front of me in a I’ll knock you off your bike type of move, so I jestered to him in a more un-polite manner, this then upset him even more so he slowed right down to a barely moving pace so I proceeded to over take him. He then decided it would be good to push me over the other side of the road as he served towards me. At this point I was not happy as he had tried to run me of the road twice so I banged on the side of his van. This pushed him right over the edge as he accelerated way going the wrong way round a mini roundabout to block my way. He then got out of his van and started running after me telling me that if he see’s me again he is going to kill me!!

What an utter anus. I often wonder what these idiots think about their behaviour after they've calmed down. (I'm assuming they both think and calm down occasionally.) Glad you're ok, just keep a low profile for a few days and he'll forget about you.

I'm sur ehe did think about his behaviour if he calmed down and came to the conclusion that it was all your fault and his reaction was completely justified under the circumstances.

Good thing about a helmet cam. Your hand gestures wouldn't have been caught :?:.

I've never had this and only object to drivers in extreme circumstances to try and avoid this kind of thing but if someone was running after me telling me they're going to kill me I'd let them get a bit knackered from running and then get off the bike (depending on there physical mak up, me being the brave soul I am). If I'm worried for my safety I'd rather "have words" off the bike than with them in a van and me on my bike.

If he does it again can you get a photo on your phone and contact the police?

Click to expand...

I'm hoping I won't see him again, as to be honest I'm a bit of a wimp (made for loving not fighting) and don't fancy having a punch up with him in the middle of the road.

In fact it's very unlike me to react in the way I did by jestering and hitting his van. I actually regent doing it. But like I said I was in a tired grummpy mood. He just pick the wrong day to beep me, then try to wipe me off the road; if he'd done it yesterday or tomorrow I probably would of just called him an idiot in my head and that would of been that.

I think someone trying to run you off the road qualifies as extreme behaviour. He deserved a whack on the van for that. "I hit the van to let him know I was there officer. He nearly ran me over twice so I thought it was best to alert him of my presence."

I've been beeped by people in cars who had to wait behind parked cars on their side of the road when I was in my car. The obstruction was on there side of the road and I was there first as well. Some people are just numpties. You're an easy target on your bike for the bully mentality.

Did you get a registration number? This chap was attempting to assault you and at the very least should have a chat from the police. If the police have a chat with him that would reduce the risk of him repeating this to you or him as his name would have a black mark against it.

I didn't get his number plate, there was a company name on the van, but at the time reading what was written on the van was the last thing on my mind so didn't get that either. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me and I was in shock, I have had a few drives get a bit close but never someone deliberately swerve at me.

But next time someone tries to drive my off the road I will make a metal note of what is written on the side. As you are right, the company most likely wouldn't like the fact that one of there drives is using company property as a lethal weapon.

I know it's not justification for what he tried to do, but from personal experience, and talking to others about it, it's generally not a good idea to express your opinion of drivers to them, either with hand signals, or verbally.

I know what it's like, and I've done it myself, you want to swear at the lunatics and give them the finger etc, but to too many, this seems to be a red rag to a bull, and will incite them to do something even more lunatic.

These days I just try and swear under my breath, and try and ignore them. I know it doesn't help you vent your frustration, but it seems safer in the long run.

Cunobelin is quite right. You had to fend yourself off the van, your action was defensive not aggressive.

Personally, I'd keep riding the route and at the same time. Chances are your new friend has realised he was a complete idiot and is waiting for his door bell to ring. It will be him changing his route and times. He gave you lots of chances to get the company name and reg of the van. Then he topped it off by telling you he was going to kill you.